Music

IRM by Charlotte Gainsbourg. This willowy singer/actress is pop culture royalty in her native France — her mum is British actress/singer Jane Birkin, father is French actor/singer Serge Gainsbourg, and grandma is Judy Campbell. Regardless, Gainsbourg is no slouch, she's been lauded regularly for her own artistic contributions (you may recognize her as the voice at the beginning of Madonna's "What it Feels Like for a Girl.") Gainsbourg's third album, IRM, was mostly put together by L.A.'s resident indie Scientologist, Beck. The first single "Heaven Can Wait" is getting some airplay on independent-minded radio stations — the song is good, the video is amazing (see below). Out Tuesday.

Realism by The Magnetic Fields. The deep, soulful voice of lead singer Stephin Merritt can make the phone book sound profound, deeply sad, and more than a little sexy. The fact that he's much revered and openly gay only add to his, and The Magnetic Fields, allure. The 13-track Realism is a follow-up to 2008's coarse Distortion; Realism is a gentler album, reminiscent of the lush pop of Jesus & Mary Chain. Out Tuesday.

The Sea by Corinne Bailey Rae. This British pop/folk singer goes deep with her sophomore release. The heavier and more-thoughtful material doesn't come as a surprise — the 30-year-old chanteuse lost her husband to a drug overdose in 2008. Out Tuesday.